Collapsible clothes line support



D. J. CLlNl I 2,900,088

COLLAPSIBLE CLOTHES LINE SUPPORT Aug. 18,1959

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 15, 1 958 INVENTOR. 13111-1121.]. B11111 BY M 0142 7714! Aug. 18, 1959 D. J. cum

COLLAPSIBLE CLOTHES LINE SUPPORT Filed Jan. 15, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. IltmxelJ- Elm-l1 BY 771d ways.

COLLAPSIBLE CLOTHESLINE SUPPORT Daniel J. Clini, Springfield, Mass. Application January 15, 1958, Serial No. 109,032 3 Claims. (Cl. 211-178) The present invention relates to improvements in collapsible clothes line supports. 1

The object of the invention is to providea collapsible clothes line support which is economical to manufacture and which is morerugged and. easier to manipulate between a collapsed position and an operative position than previous clothes line supports of, this general type and at the same time will not collapse inadvertently. v V

The various features of novelty will be found in a unique linkage arrangement which supports a pair of outboard members between which the clothes lines extend in parallel and horizontal fashion when the support is in its operative position. This unique linkage arrangement is manually operable to swing the outboard members to generally vertical positions in a simple and reliable manner.

The above objects and features of the invention will be more fully apparent from a reading of the following description of the disclosure found in the accompanying drawings and the particular novelty thereof pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a clothes line support embodying the present invention, in its operative position, ready for use;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view on a reduced scale and with the clothes lines omitted, showing the support of Fig. 1 in a partially collapsed position; and

Fig. 3 is an elevation, on an enlarged scale and again with the clothes lines omitted, showing the support of Fig. 1 substantially in a fully collapsed or storage position.

The illustrated support comprises a post which may be mounted in an upright position in any of the usual On opposite sides of the post 10 are horizontal outboard members or rods 12 (in the operative position of Fig. 1). A plurality of clothes lines I extend between the rods 12 in a more or less taut fashion and are thus disposed for clothes and the like to be hung thereon to dry.

The linkage arrangement now to be described maintains the rods 12 in this operative position and controls their movement to a collapsed position as will later appear. A spider 14 is secured to the upper end of the post 10 and comprises four outstanding bifurcated portions 16. Spaced beneath the fixed spider 14 is a movable spider 18 which is slideable on the post 10, and which comprises four outstanding bifurcated portions 20 generally matching, in underlying relation, the bifurcated por- A second pair of spreaders 26 extends in opposed (to the spreaders 22) diagonal fashion between the respective rods 12 and opposite bifurcated portions 20 of the movable spider '18. The spreaders26 are provided with loose pivotal connections afiixing them to the respective bifurcated. portions 20 and with slidable connections to the respective rods 12. More particularly, these slidable connections take the form of a hook eye 28 extending from each rod 12 and encircling an offset rod 30 which' extends longitudinally of and is attached to each spreader 26. Braces 32 extend between and are loosely pivotably connected to intermediate portions of the respective spreaders 26 and opposite bifurcated portions of the fixed spider 14.

v Beneath the movable spider 18 is a slidable collar 34 having opposed cars 36 (see Fig. 2). Stiffeners 38 extend in cross-wise. fashion between the midpoints of the respective rods'12 and the opposite cars 36 with each end of the stifieners '38 being .loosely pivotably connected to its associated element.

i The above described linkage arrangement may tend to be 'selfilocking in its operative position by reason of the collar 34 having an .o ver-the-center relationship, that is, thecolla'r 34 may be disposed slightly above a line passing through the pivotal connections of the stitfeners to the rods 12. It is, however, desirable, even where an over-the-center condition may exist to prevent any inadvertent collapse of the rods 12. For this purpose, a

' locking pin 40 is insertable through a hole in the post 10 to hold the collar 34 and spider 18 in upraised operative position. The locking pin 40 is conveniently secured to the collar 34 by a chain 42 to prevent its being lost or misplaced.

When it is desired to collapse the above-described support, the pin 40 is first removed. The action is then simply to slide collar 34 downwardly on the post 10. As this is done rods 12 are brought inwardly towards post 10 and at the same time are pivoted about the outer ends of the respective stiifeners 38. This action is best appreciated from the showing of Fig. 2 wherein it will be seen that the rods 12 pivot in opposite directions. That is, the slidably connected end 12' of the right hand rod 12 swings downwardly and slides inwardly on the rod 30 of its spreader 26, while the far or opposite end 12" of this right hand rod 12 is pivoted at the end of spreader 22 to swing upwardly. The opposite rod 12 at the left hand of post 10 in Fig. 2 is swung in opposite fashion with the pivoted end 12" swinging upwardly and inwardly and the slidable end 12 swinging downwardly and inwardly. At this point it will be noted that the spider 18 is also sliding downwardly on the post 10 as the members 12 are pivoted and sliding inwardly of the spreaders 26 as the hookeyes 28 ride along the tracks of the offset rods 30.

This controlled linkage movement continues as the collar 34 slides down the post 10, until the fully collapsed position is reached. The showing of Fig. 3 is of a substantially collapsed position, the elements being spread apart slightly for clarity of illustration. In this position the rods 12 are vertically disposed and parallel with post 10 and since said rods have swung in opposite directions the lines I (not shown in Fig. 3) will hang above the ground even though the height of post 10 is not very great.

34 is urged upwardly on the post 10. In Fig. 3 collar 34 and spider 18 are shown as spaced from one another.

When raising the support, collar 34 is brought up against spider 18 and the collar and spider are then lifted together on the post 10 as a unit to the operative position. Pin 40 locks the assembly in this position as shown by Fig. 1. This controlled upward movement is the reverse To raise the support to operative position, the collar.

of that above-described for lowering the support with the stiffeners 38 in both cases affording a guided motion by reason of the pivotal connection centrally of the outboard members l2. It will be hererealizedthatcthetshowing of the intermediate position of Fig.2 is that taken during the lowering of the assembly to a collapsed position.

In collapsedposition, the clothes line support may be compactly packaged as for shipment and when not in use may be conveniently stored where desired.

Having thus described the invention, whatisclaimed as novel and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A clothes line support comprising in its operative position an upright center post, a pair of parallel, horizontally disposed, rigid outboard members, one on each side of the center post and between which a plurality of lines are adapted to extend, a spider slidable on said center post, a pair of diagonally disposed spreaders pivotably connected to said spider and respectively pivotably connected at the outer ends of the spreaders to diagonally opposite end portions of the rigid outboard members, a second-pair of spreaders disposed in diagonal fashion and crosswise of said first-mentioned spreaders and pivotably connected to said spider, means interconboard members at points centrally of said members.

necting said second spreaders respectively with the other 25 diagonally opposite end portions of the outboard members for sliding movement of said other opposite end 2. A clothes line support as in claim 1 wherein the sliding connection between the outboard members and the second pair of spreaders comprisestrack means extending longitudinally of each spreader and a-member slidably engaging said track and secured to each of the outboard members.

3. A clothes line support as in claim 2 wherein said track means comprises a rod fixed at its ends to each of said second pair of spreaders and intermediate the ends extends in offset position longitudinally of the spreader; and said slidable member is va hookeye pivoted'on each said outboard member and embracing said rod of the spreader,

Hagar June 11, 1957 Rizzo Jan. 28, 1958 

